Side Project — Continuance 5 (2024)

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

Continuance 5 is a meticulously composed blend of barleywine threads matured 32-50 months in bourbon barrels, showcasing Side Project’s mastery of patient oak stewardship. The pour reveals deep mahogany hues leading to an expressive bouquet of bourbon, vanilla bean, and seasoned oak. The palate unfolds in layers: rich toffee and brown sugar give way to dark chocolate, caramelized raisin, and a whisper of leather. Barrel warmth carries the finish, framed by polished oak tannins and lingering vanilla custard. Complex, decadent, and remarkably integrated, this release exemplifies the elevated artistry of the Continuance series.

Food Pairing

Pair with a dense flourless chocolate torte topped with bourbon-soaked cherries, where dark chocolate and barrel warmth amplify each other beautifully. Alternatively, serve alongside aged Stilton or Gorgonzola with toasted walnuts and fig preserves, allowing the cheese’s salty pungency to balance the beer’s toffee sweetness and oak-driven complexity.

About Side Project Brewing

Side Project Brewing was founded in 2013 in Maplewood, Missouri, as an ambitious extension of Perennial Artisan Ales. Created by brewmaster Cory King, the brewery was conceived as a no-compromise venture dedicated to producing extremely limited quantities of experimental and barrel-aged beers. Side Project operates with a singular philosophy: to push the boundaries of brewing without regard to commercial constraints or production schedules, releasing beers only when they reach optimal maturity and quality.

The brewery has earned international recognition for its exceptional barrel-aged stouts, wild ales, and fruited sour beers, with many releases becoming highly sought after by collectors worldwide. Side Project’s meticulous approach involves extensive barrel aging programs, often utilizing premium wine and spirit barrels, and incorporating unique ingredients to create complex, nuanced flavor profiles. Their small-batch production model and unwavering commitment to quality over quantity have established them as one of the most respected names in American craft brewing. The brewery’s reputation is built on consistently delivering beers of extraordinary depth and character, making their limited releases among the most anticipated in the global beer community.